In some existing wireless communications systems, mobile stations monitor downlink channels and when a Routing Area (GSM terminology, spec 45.008) is crossed, the network loses track of the UE (user equipment) until the UE makes a RACH (Random Access Channel) transmission and identifies itself through a handshaking sequence. Accordingly, crossing boundary areas may result in abrupt transition such as a hard handoff event in CDMA or repeating a RACH sequence in GSM.